U.S. patent number 7,662,008 [Application Number 11/099,682] was granted by the patent office on 2010-02-16 for method of assembling displays on substrates.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Searete LLC. Invention is credited to W. Daniel Hillis, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., Victoria Y. H. Wood.
United States Patent |
7,662,008 |
Hillis , et al. |
February 16, 2010 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Method of assembling displays on substrates
Abstract
Various embodiments of methods and systems for designing and
constructing displays from multiple light-modulating elements are
disclosed. Display elements having different light-modulating and
self-assembling characteristics may be used during display assembly
and operation.
Inventors: |
Hillis; W. Daniel (Encino,
CA), Myhrvold; Nathan P. (Medina, WA), Tegreene; Clarence
T. (Bellevue, WA), Wood; Victoria Y. H. (Livermore,
CA), Wood, Jr.; Lowell L. (Livermore, CA) |
Assignee: |
Searete LLC (Bellevue,
WA)
|
Family
ID: |
37069782 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/099,682 |
Filed: |
April 4, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
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|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20060220989 A1 |
Oct 5, 2006 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
445/24;
445/23 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01L
24/95 (20130101); G09G 3/001 (20130101); G09G
3/3433 (20130101); H01L 2924/01015 (20130101); H01L
2924/01013 (20130101); H01L 2924/01082 (20130101); H01L
2924/15157 (20130101); H01L 2224/95136 (20130101); H01L
2924/12041 (20130101); H01L 2924/14 (20130101); H01L
2924/01074 (20130101); H01L 2924/01006 (20130101); H01L
2924/01005 (20130101); H01L 2924/01033 (20130101); H01L
2924/1433 (20130101); H01L 2224/95145 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H01J
9/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;445/24 ;349/45 |
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|
Primary Examiner: Williams; Joseph L
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Suiter Swantz pc llo
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A method of forming a display, comprising: a) introducing a
first set of display elements, each having a first shape, size or
surface characteristic and including a light-modulating element of
a first type, onto a substrate; b) inducing relative motion in said
display elements in said first set and said substrate sufficient to
cause at least a portion of said display elements in said first set
to distribute into a first plurality of receptacles on said
substrate, said first plurality of receptacles having a first
complementary shape, size or surface characteristic that is
complementary to said first shape, size or surface characteristic;
c) removing display elements in said first set that have not
distributed into receptacles in said first plurality of
receptacles; d) introducing a second set of display elements,
having a second shape, size or surface characteristic and including
a light-modulating element of a second type, onto said substrate;
e) inducing relative motion in said display elements in said second
set and said substrate sufficient to cause at least a portion of
said display elements in said second set to distribute into a
second plurality of receptacles on said substrate, said second
plurality of receptacles having a second complementary shape, size
or surface characteristic that is complementary to said second
shape, size or surface characteristic; f) removing display elements
in said second set that have not distributed into receptacles in
said second plurality of receptacles; g) connecting display
elements distributed into receptacles on said substrate to said
substrate; and h) connecting display elements of said first set to
said substrate prior to introducing said second set of display
elements onto said substrate.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein display elements in said first
set are configured to have a probability of fitting into
receptacles complementary to said second shape, size or surface
characteristic that is lower than the probability of display
elements in said second set fitting into receptacles complementary
to said first shape, size or surface characteristic.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein display elements having said
first shape, size or surface characteristic are of a different size
but substantially the same shape as display elements having said
second shape, size or surface characteristic.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein display elements having said
first shape, size or surface characteristic are of a different
shape but substantially the same size as display elements having
said second shape, size or surface characteristic.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein display elements having said
first shape, size or surface characteristic are larger than display
elements having said second shape, size or surface
characteristic.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein display elements having said
first shape, size or surface characteristic have a different
surface characteristic but are substantially the same shape and
size as display elements having said second shape, size or surface
characteristic.
7. The method of claim 1, including assisting distribution of a
display element of at least one of said first set and said second
set into a complementary receptacle on said substrate by at least
one of gravity, generation of a body force in the assembly of
display elements, bulk acceleration of the display elements,
attraction between a display element surface and the interior of a
receptacle complementary to said display element, and repulsion of
a display element surface from a substrate surface external to said
receptacle.
8. The method of claim 1, including recovering display elements
removed from said substrate for later use.
9. The method of claim 1, including connecting display elements to
said substrate by making electrical, magnetic, acoustic or optical
connections between said display elements and said substrate.
10. The method of claim 1, including connecting display elements to
adjacent display elements.
11. The method of claim 10, including connecting display elements
to adjacent display elements by forming electrical, magnetic,
acoustic or optical connections between said display elements and
said substrate.
12. The method of claim 1, including determining a unique
identifier including address information for each said display
element following connection of said display element to said
substrate through at least one of using circuitry on said display
element or using circuitry external to said display element
subsequently storing said address information in said display
element.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein introducing display elements in
at least one of said first set and said second set includes at
least one of spraying said display elements onto said substrate or
disposing said display elements onto said substrate in a fluidized
medium, a slurry, an emulsion, a suspension, a colloid or a gel.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is related to, claims the earliest
available effective filing date(s) from (e.g., claims earliest
available priority dates for other than provisional patent
applications; claims benefits under 35 USC .sctn.119(e) for
provisional patent applications), and incorporates by reference in
its entirety all subject matter of the following listed
application(s); the present application also claims the earliest
available effective filing date(s) from, and also incorporates by
reference in its entirety all subject matter of any and all parent,
grandparent, great-grandparent, etc. applications of the following
listed application(s): 1. United States patent application entitled
ELEMENTS FOR SELF-ASSEMBLING DISPLAYS, naming W. Daniel Hillis,
Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., and
Victoria Y. H. Wood as inventors, filed Mar. 11, 2005. 2. United
States patent application entitled SELF-ASSEMBLY OF ELEMENTS FOR
DISPLAYS, naming W. Daniel Hillis, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T.
Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood, Jr., and Victoria Y. H. Wood as
inventors, filed Mar. 11, 2005. 3. United States patent application
entitled SELF ASSEMBLING DISPLAY WITH SUBSTRATE, naming W. Daniel
Hillis, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T. Tegreene, Lowell L. Wood,
Jr., and Victoria Y. H. Wood as inventors, filed substantially
herewith. 4. United States patent application entitled SUPERIMPOSED
DISPLAYS, naming W. Daniel Hillis, Nathan P. Myhrvold, Clarence T.
Tegreene, and Lowell L. Wood, Jr. as inventors, filed Apr. 22,
2005.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present application relates, in general, to the field of
displays, and particularly to methods of manufacture thereof.
BACKGROUND
Displays used in television screens, computer monitors, electronic
signs or displays, and the like may be formed from arrays of large
numbers of light-emitting elements that may be controlled to
display time-varying patterns of light. Color displays typically
include light-emitting elements that emit light of several colors.
Displays commonly include elements capable of emitting red, green,
or blue wavelengths (corresponding to the color sensitivities of
the photoreceptors in the human eye), since by adjusting the
intensity of the three colors appropriately, any color in the
visible spectrum can be represented to the human eye.
SUMMARY
Embodiments of methods and systems for self-organization and
assembly of display elements with substrates to form displays are
disclosed herein. Features of various embodiments will be apparent
from the following detailed description and associated
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
Features of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The
exemplary embodiments may best be understood by making reference to
the following description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings. In the figures, like referenced numerals
identify like elements.
FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a display element array;
FIG. 2 depicts a method of forming an embodiment of the display
element array;
FIG. 3 illustrates a method of forming an embodiment of a display
element array;
FIG. 4 illustrates a method of disposing display elements on a
substrate;
FIG. 5 depicts a further method of disposing display elements on a
substrate;
FIGS. 6A-6C illustrates distribution display elements to receptor
locations on a substrate;
FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate distribution of a first set of display
elements to receptor locations on a substrate;
FIG. 8 illustrates removal of excess display elements from of a
substrate;
FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative method of removing excess display
elements from a substrate;
FIGS. 10A-10C illustrates distribution of a second set of display
elements to receptor locations on a substrate;
FIG. 11 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of assembling a
display element array;
FIG. 12 depicts two display elements mounted in receptor locations
on a substrate;
FIG. 13 illustrates a substrate having multiple receptor locations
and corresponding display elements;
FIG. 14 illustrates the display elements of FIG. 13 mounted on
receptor locations on the substrate of FIG. 13;
FIG. 15 illustrates several types of display elements attached to
corresponding receptor locations on a substrate;
FIG. 16 depicts exemplary embodiment of a display element;
FIG. 17 depicts another exemplary embodiment of a display
element;
FIG. 18 depicts another exemplary embodiment of a display
element;
FIG. 19 illustrates a display element including two light-emitting
elements;
FIG. 20 illustrates a display element formed from three display
sub-elements;
FIG. 21 illustrates a substrate including irregularly distributed
receptor locations;
FIG. 22 depicts testing of an assembled display element array;
FIG. 23 is a flow diagram of a process for configuring a display
element array;
FIG. 24 illustrates a method for configuring a display element
array;
FIG. 25 depicts an embodiment used in a computer monitor;
FIG. 26 depicts an embodiment used in a television screen;
FIG. 27 depicts an embodiment used in an electronic sign;
FIG. 28 depicts an embodiment used in an item of apparel;
FIG. 29 depicts an embodiment used in a decorative object;
FIGS. 30A-30D illustrate the manufacture of a display having
several regions;
FIG. 31 illustrates distribution of display elements on several
regions of a substrate;
FIG. 32A-32B illustrate sequential distribution of display elements
on a substrate;
FIG. 33A-33C illustrate the replacement of a defective display
element; and
FIG. 34 shows a process for detecting and replacing a defective
display element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the
accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. The detailed
description and the drawings illustrate specific exemplary
embodiments by which the invention may be practiced. These
embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those
skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is understood that
other embodiments may be utilized, and other changes may be made,
without departing from the spirit or scope of the present
invention. The following detailed description is therefore not to
be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present
invention is defined by the appended claims.
Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take
the meanings explicitly associated herein unless the context
dictates otherwise. The meaning of "a", "an", and "the" include
plural references. The meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on." A
reference to the singular includes a reference to the plural unless
otherwise stated or inconsistent with the disclosure herein.
According to an exemplary embodiment, a display is constructed that
has a plurality of display elements located at a plurality of
receptor locations on a substrate. Each display element may include
a light-modulating element of a respective type, carried by a
carrier having respective shape, size or surface characteristics.
Display elements may have shape, size or surface characteristics
complementary to the shape, size or surface characteristics of
certain receptor locations on the substrate, to promote
self-assembly of display elements to selected receptor locations.
Display elements containing light-modulating elements of like types
are characterized by like shape, size or surface characteristics.
Accordingly, display elements containing specific types of
light-modulating elements self-assemble to the substrate at
selected locations, to form a display having a desired arrangement
of light-emitting elements. Light-modulating elements include
elements which modulate light perceived by a viewer of the display.
In some embodiments, light-modulating elements may be
light-emitting elements. In other embodiments, light-modulating
elements modify or modulate light incident on the display to
present a modified view to the viewer by, for example, absorbing,
reflecting, diffracting, or scattering light, or by fluorescing or
performing some other type of frequency conversion. Although
specific types of light-modulating elements may be referenced in
connection with certain exemplary embodiments described herein,
unless it is stated that a particular type of light-modulating
element is required for use in a particular embodiment, it should
be assumed that other types of light-modulating elements may be
used in the embodiment as well.
FIG. 1 depicts an exemplary embodiment of a display element array
10 including a substrate 20 and a plurality of display elements 30
and 32 mounted in corresponding receptor locations 40 and 42,
respectively. In the example of FIG. 1, display elements 30 are a
first type of display elements and display elements 32 are a second
type of display element. The display may include a substrate 20
having a first plurality of receptor locations of first type 40 and
a second plurality of receptor locations of second type 42, which
are adapted to receive display elements 30 and 32, respectively,
arranged in a regular, repeating pattern according to type, as
depicted in FIG. 1.
A method of constructing a display element array as illustrated in
FIG. 1 is outlined generally in FIG. 2. At step 52, a plurality of
display elements, each of which includes a light-modulating
element, is disposed on a substrate. At step 54, relative motion is
induced between the display elements and the substrate sufficient
to cause at least a portion of the display elements to distribute
to receptor locations on the substrate. At step 56, display
elements distributed to receptor locations on the substrate are
secured in fixed relationship with respect to each other. At step
58, connections are established for providing control signals to
secured display elements to drive emission of light by the secured
display elements.
Disposing a plurality of display elements on the substrate may
include disposing a first subset of display elements and a second
subset of display elements on the substrate. Each display element
in the first subset may include a light-modulating element of a
first type contained in a carrier having a first shape, size or
surface characteristic, and each display element in the second
subset may include a light-modulating element of a second type
contained in a carrier having a second shape, size or surface
characteristic. The substrate may include a first subset of
receptor locations having a first complementary shape, size or
surface characteristic that facilitates distribution of display
elements of the first subset to the first subset of receptor
locations, and a second subset of receptor locations having a
second complementary shape, size or surface characteristic that
facilitates distribution of display elements of the second subset
to the second subset of receptor locations.
A further exemplary method of display element array construction is
described in FIG. 3. At step 72, a substrate is provided having a
plurality of receptor locations each having a respective defined
shape, size and surface characteristic. At step 74, a plurality of
display elements, each having a respective defined shape, size and
surface characteristic complementary to a shape, size and surface
characteristic of at least one receptacle are introduced onto the
substrate. Display elements containing light-modulating elements of
like types are characterized by like shapes, sizes and surface
characteristics. Relative motion is induced between the display
elements and the substrate sufficient to cause at least a portion
of the display elements to be distributed to receptacles of
complementary shape and size on the substrate at step 76. At step
78, display elements distributed into receptacles of complementary
shape, size and surface characteristic on the substrate are
connected to the substrate.
First and second types of receptor locations (and corresponding
display elements), as depicted in FIG. 1, may have one or more
respective shape, size, surface, or other characteristics. Each
receptor location of the first type may have a first surface
characteristic, and each receptor location of the second type may
comprise a second surface characteristic. A display may also
comprise a plurality of display elements of the first type mounted
on the substrate at the first plurality of receptor locations, and
a plurality of display elements of the second type mounted on the
substrate at the second plurality of receptor locations. Each
display element of the first type comprises a surface
characteristic adapted to operate cooperatively with the first
surface characteristic on the first type of receptor location to
facilitate self-assembly of the first display element type with the
first receptor location type, and each display element of the
second type includes a surface characteristic adapted to operate
cooperatively with the second surface characteristic on the second
type of receptor location to facilitate self-assembly of the second
display element type with the second receptor location type.
Display elements of the first type may emit light that differs from
light emitted by display elements of the second type by one or more
parameters including wavelength band envelope, spectral width
and/or content, power, spatial or temporal emission pattern/pulse
format, direction of emission, intensity, brightness, irradiance,
polarization, response speed, or linearity.
Display elements may be disposed on a substrate by various methods.
FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary method of disposing display
elements 30 and 40 onto substrate 20. In the embodiment of FIG. 4,
display elements 30 and 40 are poured onto substrate 20 from
dispenser 80. As used herein, `pouring` refers to a process by
which multiple display elements 30 and 40 are moved onto substrate
20 from a container or dispenser 80 by means of gravity or other
means of inducing a body force on them or a bulk acceleration of
them. FIG. 5 illustrates another method of disposing display
elements 30 and 40 onto substrate 20 by spraying. As used herein,
`spraying` refers to a process by which display elements are
ejected from container or dispenser via pressure, e.g., via spray
nozzle 90. Spray nozzle 90 may be configured to disperse display
elements 30 and 40 over substrate 20. In the embodiments depicted
in FIGS. 4 and 5, display elements may be mixed into a carrier
liquid and applied in the form of a slurry, emulsion, suspension,
colloid or gel, or fluidized by the addition of a gas. They may
also be disposed onto the substrate without being mixed into a
carrier liquid or gas. Note that although two types of display
elements, 30 and 40, are depicted in the present exemplary
embodiments, in other embodiments, one, two, three, or more
different types of display elements may be used, and the methods
described herein may be suitable in embodiments including various
numbers of types of display elements.
After display elements are disposed on a substrate, they may
self-assemble into preferred receptor locations, as determined by
their respective surface or shape characteristics. In some
embodiments, movement of display elements into preferred receptor
locations is energetically favored. In some cases, surface or shape
characteristics may produce sufficiently strong attractions between
display elements and preferred receptor locations that they
self-assemble into a preferred arrangement on the substrate without
further input of energy. In many cases, however, input of energy
(e.g., an activation energy) may be required to cause display
elements to move into their preferred receptor locations. Energy
may be input to the display elements by imparting relative motion
between display elements and substrate, e.g. by shaking or
vibrating the substrate. Display elements may then move with
respect to each other until they eventually move into preferred
receptor locations. Other forms of activation energy (e.g., light,
heat, chemical energy) may also be used to promote distribution of
display elements into preferred receptor locations. Each of the
activation energies may be applied independently or a plurality of
forms of activation energies may be applied in combination. The
method may include controlling an environmental condition to
promote distribution of the display elements to receptor locations
on the substrate.
In order to promote self-assembly of display elements into receptor
locations, relative movement of the multiple display elements and
the substrate may be induced. Such movement may be imparted, for
example, by shaking or vibration of the substrate. The movement may
cause the display elements to distribute into a single layer on the
substrate. Relative movement of the display elements and the
surface may be induced by shaking or vibrating the surface, or by
otherwise moving the surface. The induced movement may be random or
substantially random. The movement must be sufficient to move
display elements relative to other display elements in order to
cause display elements to come into proximity and have opportunity
for interaction and/or association with display elements of various
types. The pattern of shaking or vibration may be modified over
time; e.g., more vigorous movement may be used to cause display
elements to form a single layer, while movement that is gentler (or
of a different frequency, direction, etc.) may be more effective
for promoting associations of display elements within a single
layer. Depending on the size and type of display elements and
substrate, various methods of imparting motion and/or interaction
between display elements and substrate may be used, and the
embodiments depicted herein are only examples.
As shown in FIG. 6A, display elements 30 and 40 disposed on
substrate 20 may not initially be distributed over substrate 20 in
a single layer. In some regions (e.g., region 92 in FIG. 6A),
display elements may be piled on other display elements in two or
more layers. In many cases, it is preferred that display elements
distribute into a single layer on substrate 20. Distribution of
display elements into a single layer may be aided by gravity as
well as by induced movement between display elements and surface.
In certain embodiments, distribution of display elements into a
single layer may be aided by repulsion of one or more surfaces of
the display element from the substrate surface. Such repulsion may
take place, for example, because of surface energy effects, surface
magnetic properties, and the like, due to suitable treatment of
display elements and substrate surfaces. At the step depicted in
FIG. 6B, shaking or vibrating substrate 20 may cause display
elements 30 and 40 to disperse further to form a single layer of
display elements on substrate 20. Further shaking or vibration may
be applied to cause display elements 30 and 40, already distributed
in a single layer on substrate 20, to move into appropriate
receptor locations 32 and 42, respectively, to form display element
array 100 as shown in FIG. 6C. If display elements 30 and 40 are
small enough and have suitable shape and surface characteristics,
their behavior may be powder- or fluid-like. In order to facilitate
the distribution of display elements 30 and 40 onto substrate 20,
display elements may be mixed into a fluid or fluidized medium, and
applied to substrate 20 as a slurry, emulsion, suspension, colloid,
or gel. Movement of display elements 30 and 40 on substrate 20 may
also be facilitated by various mechanical spreaders, stirrers,
etc., instead of or in addition to shaking, vibration, or other
methods of imparting energy to the display elements and/or
substrate.
One method of assembling display elements of two different types
into respective receptor locations on a substrate makes use of a
two-stage process. During the first stage of the process,
illustrated in FIGS. 7A-7C, a first type of display elements is
assembled into a first type of receptor locations on a substrate.
As depicted in FIG. 7A, a substrate 110 is provided which includes
first receptor locations 120, which are of a first type, and second
receptor locations 122, which are of a second type. In the
exemplary embodiment depicted in FIGS. 7A, receptor location 120
and 122 are circular receptacles of different sizes, with receptor
locations 120 being larger than receptor locations 122. A first set
of display elements made up of a first type of display elements 130
is disposed on substrate 110. Display elements 130 have a size and
shape complementary to first receptor locations 120. Display
elements 130 are too large to fit into second receptor locations
122. In step 7B, relative motion may be induced between display
elements 130 and substrate 110, for example by shaking or vibrating
substrate 110. The relative motion is sufficient to cause display
elements 130 to self assemble into respective receptor locations
120, as shown in FIG. 7C. Display elements 130 in excess of the
number needed to fill receptor locations 120 may remain on the
surface of substrate 110.
The method may include removing display elements that have not
distributed into receptacles on the substrate from the substrate.
Removing display elements may include removing display elements not
distributed into receptacles of complementary shape, size, and
surface characteristic on the substrate from the substrate prior to
connecting display elements that have distributed into receptacles.
Display elements may be removed from the substrate by moving or
accelerating the substrate, for example, by shaking or by tipping
the substrate, as depicted in FIG. 8. In other embodiments, display
elements may be removed from the substrate by applying a fluid to
the substrate, e.g., by rinsing it. Display elements may also be
removed from the substrate 110 by applying motive force to the
display elements, for example, with a scraper 131, as depicted in
FIG. 9. Display elements removed from the substrate may be
recovered for later use.
In the second stage of the two-stage process, as depicted in FIGS.
10A-10C, a second type of display elements 132 are distributed into
second receptor locations 122 on substrate 110. FIG. 10A
illustrates substrate 110, with first receptor locations 120 filled
with first display elements 130, and receptor locations 122 vacant.
As illustrated in FIG. 10B, after a second set of display elements
132 is distributed onto substrate 110, relative motion is induced
between substrate 110 and display elements 132 sufficient to cause
display elements 132 to self-assemble to their respective receptor
locations 122. FIG. 10C depicts substrate 110 with all receptor
locations 120 and 122 filled, and several excess display elements
132 resting on top of substrate 110. Excess display elements can be
removed by various methods, including, but not limited to, those
depicted in FIGS. 8 and 9.
As illustrated in FIGS. 7A-10C, receptacles 120 are complementary
to display elements 130, which are of a first size and shape, and
receptacles 122 are complementary to display elements 132, which
are of a second size and shape. Display elements 130 in the first
set are configured to have a probability of fitting into
receptacles 122 that is lower than the probability of display
elements 132 fitting into receptacles 120. Various display
element/receptor location combinations may be devised in which the
one type of display element has a relatively higher probability of
distributing into the incorrect receptor location than does the
other. Therefore, assembly of display elements into the appropriate
locations can be improved by introducing the different display
elements in a specified order, with those having the lowest
probability of distributing into an incorrect receptor location
being introduced earliest in the process. This approach may be
extended to displays that include more than two types of display
elements and receptor locations. In some embodiments, display
elements of the first size and shape are of a different size, but
substantially the same shape as display elements of the second size
and shape. In other embodiments, display elements of the first size
and shape are of a different shape, but substantially the same size
as display elements of the second size and shape. In some
embodiments display elements of the first size and shape may be
larger than display elements of the second size and shape. Display
elements in the first set may include light-modulating elements
that are of a different type than light-modulating elements in
display elements in the second set. In some embodiments, display
elements in the first set may include light-modulating elements
capable of emitting light in a first wavelength band and display
elements in the second set may include light-modulating elements
capable of emitting light in a second wavelength band.
In certain embodiments, the display elements from at least one of
the first set and the second set may be connected to the substrate
by at least one of heat, vibration, pressure, electrostatic or
magnetostatic force, a chemical, radiation, or an adhesive. In some
embodiments, connecting display elements to the substrate may
include making electrical or optical connections between the
display elements and the substrate. Display elements may also be
connected to adjacent display elements. In some embodiments,
display elements may be connected to adjacent display elements via
the substrate, by forming electrical or optical connections between
display elements and the substrate.
FIG. 11 is a flow diagram outlining a method of forming a display
with two types of display elements by introducing the two types of
display elements to the substrate in sequence. An example of this
type of process is depicted in FIGS. 7A-10C. The first type of
display elements has a first shape, size or surface characteristic,
and the second type of display elements has a second shape, size or
surface characteristic. The substrate may have a first plurality of
receptor locations and a second plurality of receptor locations,
having first and second complementary shape, size or surface
characteristics, respectively. The method of forming a display may
include introducing a first set of display elements each having a
first shape, size or surface characteristic and including a
light-modulating element of a first type onto a substrate, as shown
at step 152. At step 154, relative motion is induced between the
display elements in the first set and the substrate. The motion may
be sufficient to cause at least a portion of the display elements
in the first set to distribute into a first plurality of receptor
locations on the substrate. At step 156, display elements in the
first set that have not distributed into receptor locations in the
first plurality of receptor locations are removed from the
substrate. A second set of display elements having a second shape,
size or surface characteristic and including a light-modulating
element of a second type is then introduced onto the substrate at
step 158. At step 160, relative motion is induced in the display
elements in the second set and the substrate. The motion may be
sufficient to cause at least a portion of the display elements in
the second set to distribute into a second plurality of receptor
locations on the substrate. At step 162, display elements in the
second set that have not distributed into receptor locations in the
second plurality of receptor locations are removed from the
substrate. Finally, at step 164 display elements distributed into
receptor locations on the substrate are connected to the
substrate.
Design of display elements and substrate for constructing
self-assembling display element arrays may include designing
substrates to operate in cooperation with display elements. Display
elements may be attached to the substrate, or, in some embodiments,
may simply rest upon and be supported by the substrate. The
substrate may have a surface characteristic or property that
interacts with a surface characteristic of at least some of the
display elements to influence the orientation of display elements
on the surface or distribution of display elements on the surface.
Surface characteristics that may influence the orientation of
display elements may include, but are not limited to, electrostatic
or magnetostatic charge, surface energy, magnetic, shape or texture
characteristics. The surface characteristic may be the binding
affinity of one or more organic molecules and specifically
biomolecules, coated on or adhered to the surface. The substrate
may include electrical circuitry and contacts for sending power or
data signals to one or more display elements disposed on its
surface. The substrate may include optical circuitry and optical
connections to display elements on its surface. Choice of substrate
is strongly dependent on the intended application of the display
element array, though general design principles apply to substrate
and display elements across applications.
In some embodiments, the substrate may include a planar surface. At
least a portion of the receptor locations may be receptor locations
formed in the planar surface. In other embodiments, the substrate
may include a non-planar surface. The substrate may include a
plurality of address lines, and each display element of the
plurality of display elements may be independently addressable
through one or more of the plurality of address lines.
Characteristics of the receptor locations and display elements may
include shape and or surface characteristics, including, for
example, one or more of charge characteristics, surface energy
characteristics, or electrical or magnetic characteristics.
Display elements used in various embodiments may be made up of one
or more light-modulating elements, and a carrier which houses,
supports, contains, or surrounds the light-modulating element(s). A
display element suitable for assembly into multicolor displays
having a plurality of elements may include a light-emitting element
capable of emitting light in respective spectral range
corresponding to one or more of the colors of the display and a
carrier in which the light-emitting element is housed. The carrier
may be characterized by at least one surface, shape or size
characteristic, or a combination of shape, size and surface
characteristics. Self-assembly of display elements into
corresponding receptor locations may be based upon variations in a
single characteristic (e.g., only size, only surface charge, etc.)
or it may be based upon a combination of shape, size, and/or
surface characteristics. The carrier thus provides the surface,
shape or size characteristics that are characteristic of the
display element. The carrier may have defined shape, size or
surface characteristics, selected to preferentially locate the
display element with respect to other display elements on the
substrate in a desired color pattern to form a multicolor
display.
Various types of display elements may be used in the different
embodiments. Display elements may include light-emitting elements
in some embodiments. In some embodiments, display elements may
include other forms of light-modulating elements having light
spectral characteristic, and not limited to light-emitting
elements. For example, other types of display elements may absorb,
reflect, diffract, scatter, fluoresce, or otherwise modify light
impinging on the display to provide a particular visually
detectable effect on the display, in which case display elements
have a characteristic light absorption spectrum, light reflection
spectrum, etc., instead of or in addition to a light emission
spectrum.
Display elements may be distinguished from each other by various
characteristics, of which the following are only exemplary:
intensity of emitted light, power consumption, size, shape,
wavelength band envelope, spectral width, spectral content, power,
intensity, brightness, irradiance, emission pattern, direction of
emission, polarization, response speed, and linearity. Moreover,
display elements may have a characteristic spectral response that
is not based upon light emission, but rather upon some form of
light modulation, including, but not limited to, light reflection,
refraction, absorption, or scattering. Display elements may include
various types of light-emitting or -modulating elements. Each type
of light-emitting element may be capable of emitting light in a
respective wavelength band. Light-emitting elements may be, for
example, inorganic wavelength converters, organic wavelength
converters, phosphors, fluors, laser diodes, light-emitting diodes,
organic light-emitting diodes, polymer light-emitting diodes,
quantum dots, polymers, polymer, electroluminescent devices,
chemiluminescent devices, or nonlinear optical materials. Each
display element may include a polymeric carrier or a silicon-based
carrier. Light-emitting elements may be capable of emitting light
in a wavelength band corresponding to one or more colors,
responsive to a control signal. Light-modulating elements may
include structures including nematic crystals and polarizers, such
as those found in LCDs, photoabsorptive materials, MEMS structures,
optical polymers, or other types of elements that can vary the
amplitude, polarization, color content, pulse-duration or
pulse-format, overall energy or other aspects of the light.
In some embodiments, a display may include display elements
including two different light-emitting elements that emit light in
the same general wavelength band, for example two light-emitting
elements that emit red light: one emitting light in a narrow
wavelength band and one emitting light in a broad wavelength band.
Display elements in the first set may include light-emitting
elements that emit light that differs from light emitted by
light-emitting elements in display elements in the second set by
one or more parameters including wavelength band envelope, spectral
width, power, emission pattern, polarization, response speed, or
linearity.
Association and/or assembly of display elements with respect to
receptor locations on a substrate, and, in some cases, with other
display elements, may be dependent on macro and microscale shape
and surface properties. Shape characteristics such as concavities,
convexities, or various combinations thereof may be used to promote
self-assembly, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,507,989; Srinivasan
et al., J. Microelectromechanical Systems, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp.
17-24, March 2001; Zheng et al.; Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., Vol 101,
No. 35, pp. 12814-12817, Aug. 31, 2004; and Whitesides and
Grzybowski, Science Vol. 295, pp. 2418-2421, Mar. 29, 2002; all of
which are incorporated herein by reference. Other configurations
that may promote self-assembly alone or together with other
properties herein include overall size, other geometrical aspects,
or weight distributions, or other physical variations. Surface
characteristics that promote self-assembly include but are not
limited to charge or surface energy properties, electric or
magnetic properties, or binding affinities, as discussed in Bowden
et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc., Vol. 121, pp. 5373-5391, 1999. and
Srinivasan et al., J. Microelectromechanical Systems, Vol. 10, No.
1, pp. 17-24, March 2001; both of which are incorporated herein by
reference. Such properties may be conferred on a surface by
molecules bound or otherwise adhered or applied to the surface.
Properties that have an effect at the surface may also be internal
properties of a display element; e.g., a surface magnetic field may
be produced by magnetized structures within a display element.
Molecular structures may promote association or interactions
including charge interactions, hydrogen bonding, molecular bonding,
or other molecular interactions. The surface may, for example, be
coated with organic molecules and specifically with biomolecules
having specific binding affinities. Selective interactions of
biomolecules to other biomolecules or to non-biological molecules
including, but not limited to, base pairing of complementary
nucleic acid/nucleotide sequences, amino acid and/or
protein-protein interactions, saccharide sequence or glycoprotein
interactions, antibody-antigen interactions, and combinations
thereof, may be employed in some embodiments, as described in
Montemagno and Bachard; Nanotechnology, Vol. 10, pp. 225-231, 1999;
Chung et al., Small, Vol. 1, pp. 1-5, 2005; and Jakab et al., Proc.
Natl. Acad. Sci. Vol 101, No. 9, pp. 2865-2869, Mar. 2, 2004, all
of which are incorporated herein by reference. For the purpose of
promoting self-organization, interactions or associations between
display elements and receptor locations on a substrate may range
from relatively weak to relatively strong interactions or
associations. Individual display elements may have both distinctive
shape and surface properties selected to promote the formation of
preferred associations with receptor locations and/or display
elements with a degree of preference that depends upon the type of
display element. Methods of assembling display elements to receptor
locations on a substrate may include controlling an environmental
condition to promote distribution of display elements to desired
receptor locations on the substrate.
According to one preferred embodiment, display elements may have a
respective shape, size or surface characteristic and include a
light-emitting element capable of emitting light of a
characteristic wavelength band. The respective shape, size or
surface characteristic is adapted to cause each display element to
associate with receptor locations on the substrate with a degree of
preference that depends upon the type of display element. In
certain embodiments, display elements have one or more respective
shape, size or surface characteristics that are selected to provide
a relatively lower preference for receptor locations of certain
types and higher preference with receptor locations of other
types.
The display element may include one or more inputs for receiving
power and/or control signals. For example, the display element may
include at least one contact for forming an electrical or optical
connection with a substrate or another display element to receive
power or control signals. In some embodiments, the display element
may include a radio transmitter and/or receiver for sending or for
receiving an RF control or data signal. The display element may
include a power signal input that may be, for example, a receiver
coil or antenna for receiving electromagnetic power. In some
embodiments, display elements may include various other structures
that convert energy or power received from external sources to
light, including, for example, photovoltaic, fluorescent, and
chemoluminescent devices. In some embodiments, the display element
may include a power source, which may be a battery or other
power-generating, -collecting, -transducing or -accumulating device
or structure, such as a photovoltaic cell, an inductive coil, an
antenna, or an energy-scavenging device.
Control signals for controlling generation or modulation of light
by a display element may be transmitted to display elements via the
substrate or one or more adjacent display elements via data-links
such as acoustic, optical, magnetic or electrical links. Display
elements may include a transceiver that allows data and control
signals to be sent between display elements and external control
circuitry, without electrical connections between display elements.
Display elements may be responsive to control signals in the form
of electrical or electromagnetic energy (e.g., UV light or an
electron beam) targeted on the display element. Display elements
may emit light in response to an electrical control signal (e.g.,
current or voltage), an electromagnetic control signal (e.g., an
electron beam or incident light), or other control signal. A
display element may emit light in response to a control signal. In
some embodiments, a display element may turn off in response to the
control signal, while in still other embodiments, the pattern of
light emission or modulation produced by a display element may be
modulated by a control signal; e.g., the amplitude or pulse
frequency of emitted light may be modified in response to a control
signal.
Each display element may include a unique identifier. Each display
element may be capable of storing identifying information. The
unique identifier may be a number or code stored in various formats
detectable or readable by external devices and/or by other
components within the display. For example, the unique identifier
may be an RFID or other type of electromagnetically responsive
element. The unique identifier may be a pattern of bits stored in
any of various types of data storage elements in or on the display
element, for example, in electronic, optical, or magnetic form. In
some embodiments, the identifying information may be updatable, for
example, by circuitry on the display element, by a control signal
sent from the substrate, or by a control signal sent from a
location remote from the substrate. The identifying information may
include address information specifying the location of the display
element on the substrate.
According to various embodiments, display elements include a
carrier which contains or surrounds one or more light-modulating
elements and may confer upon the display element its shape, size or
surface characteristics. The carrier may include a polymeric
material or a semiconductor material. The light-modulating element
may be formed integrally with the carrier or may be formed
separately from the carrier and subsequently embedded in the
carrier. The carrier may include at least one shape, size or
surface characteristic, which may include a binding affinity of an
organic molecule and specifically a biomolecule (including but not
limited to binding or interactions of one or more of an amino acid
sequence, saccharide sequence, nucleic acid sequence, protein, or
glycoprotein, and combinations thereof), a surface energy
characteristic, or an electric or magnetic characteristic. The
carrier may include an electric or a magnetic characteristic
complementary to an electric or a magnetic characteristic of a
respective receptor location. The shape or surface characteristic
of the carrier may include a surface electric or magnetic signature
complementary to a surface electric or magnetic signature of a
corresponding receptor location.
The carrier may include at least one control signal input, which
may include an electrical contact. Alternatively, the control
signal input may include an optical or an acoustic connection. The
carrier may include a radio receiver or transceiver for receiving
an RF control signal. It may also include a power input, which may
include, for example, an electrical contact or a coil or antenna
for receiving an electromagnetic power signal. The carrier may
include one or more of a battery, a receiver, a transmitter, an
analog or analog-digital hybrid power-control device, or a
microprocessor.
Formation of display elements may include multi-step processes,
including a separate step of applying or forming a surface
characteristic on one or more selected regions of the carrier. This
step may be performed before or after the carrier and
light-modulating element have been joined together. Methods of
applying or forming surface characteristics may themselves be
multi-step processes (e.g., methods of attaching biomolecules to
surfaces as referenced in Montemagno and Bachard Nanotechnology,
Vol. 10, pp. 225-231, 1999; Chung et al., Small, Vol. 1, pp. 1-5,
2005; Published U.S. Patent Application US 2004/0023414. A1; and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,809,196, all of which are incorporated herein by
reference).
In some embodiments, a method of designing displays includes
selecting a set of light-emitting elements, each of which is
capable of emitting light of respective selected wavelength,
determining a preferred arrangement of the light-emitting elements,
and designing a substrate having corresponding receptor locations
in a pattern or configuration selected to cause display elements to
assemble onto the substrate in the preferred arrangement. It should
be noted that, while reference is made to "light-emitting"
elements, in some embodiments, elements which modify light in some
other way to produce a visually-detectable effect (e.g., by light
reflection, refraction, or absorption or via fluorescence or other
type of frequency-conversion) may be used in place of
light-emitting elements. The preferred arrangement specifies the
position of light-emitting elements capable of emitting light of
each of said selected wavelength bands relative to light-emitting
elements capable of emitting light of other selected wavelength
bands. Designing displays further includes designing an attribute
set for each display element, where each attribute set is adapted
to promote self-assembly of the display elements onto their
respective receptor locations on the substrate, according to the
preferred arrangement. The set of display elements according to the
method may include a plurality of types of light-emitting elements,
in which each type of display element is characterized by a
respective attribute set and is capable of emitting (or modulating)
light of a respective selected wavelength band. Each display
element type may include a light-modulating element capable of
emitting (reflecting, diffracting, scattering, etc.) light in a
respective wavelength band, and each display element type may be
characterized by a respective shape, size, or surface
characteristic. In some embodiments, each display element type may
have a different respective combination of shape, size, and surface
characteristic, than each other display element type.
The preferred arrangement of display elements in the display
element array may include a pattern having short-range order, a
repeating pattern, or a pattern having long-range order. Patterns
having either short-range order or long-range order may incorporate
repeating patterns. In an embodiment particularly suited for the
design of three-color displays, such as are commonly used in
television or computer screens, three distinct types of display
elements may be used. A repeating pattern unit may include at least
one red display element, at least one green display element, and at
least one blue display element.
In some exemplary embodiments, a display element set may include a
first set of light-emitting portions having a first wavelength
response and a first set of body portions, each carrying a
respective one or more of the light-emitting portions in the first
set of light-emitting portions. Each body portion in the first set
of body portions may have a first defined physical feature
corresponding to the first wavelength response. The set of display
elements may also include a second set of light-emitting portions
having a corresponding second wavelength response and a second set
of body portions, each carrying a respective one or more of the
light-emitting portions in the second set of light-emitting
portions. Each body portion in the second set of body portions may
have a second defined physical feature corresponding to the second
wavelength response. The first defined physical feature is
configured to preferentially associate with a first receptor
location type on a substrate, and the second defined physical
feature is configured to preferentially associate with a second
receptor location type on the substrate.
FIG. 12 illustrates one exemplary method of connecting display
elements to a substrate and providing signals for activating the
display elements. A first display element 200 and a second display
element 202 are mounted in substrate 204 in first receptor location
206 and second receptor location 208, respectively. In this
example, first receptor location 206 and second receptor location
208 are recessed regions or receptacles formed in substrate 204.
Display element 200 includes light-emitting element 210. Contacts
212 and 214 in display element 200 provide for the delivery of
power and control signals to light-emitting element 210. Contact
212 and contact 214 form connections with contacts 216 and 218,
respectively, which are formed in receptor location 206 and
connected to power line 220 and control line 222. Similarly,
display element 202 includes light-emitting element 230 and
contacts 232 and 234, which provide for the delivery of power and
control signals to light-emitting element 230. Contact 232 and
contact 234 form connections with contacts 236 and 238,
respectively, which are formed in receptor location 208 and
connected to power line 240 and control line 242.
The distribution of specific types of display elements in the
display element array may be determined by the distribution of
corresponding receptor location on the substrate, e.g., specific
types of receptor locations may be distributed in a regular and/or
repeating pattern, as depicted in the embodiment of FIG. 1. In
several previously described embodiments, receptor locations on the
substrate are recessed regions or receptacles having a size, shape
or surface characteristic matched to the shape, size or surface
characteristic of a corresponding type of display element. The
receptor locations may be spaced apart from each other so that
there is no contact between adjacent display elements. In other
embodiments, receptor locations may be located immediately adjacent
to each other. In some embodiments, display elements and substrate
may be configured so that it is possible to form connections
between display elements positioned in adjacent receptor
locations.
FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate an exemplary embodiment in which display
elements are located immediately adjacent to each other. In FIG.
13, substrate 250 includes first receptor location type 252 and
second receptor location type 254, which are designed to receive
first display element type 260 and second display element type 262,
respectively. FIG. 14 depicts display elements 260 and 262 mounted
in respective receptor locations 252 and 254 in substrate 250. Also
depicted are connections 270 between adjacent display elements.
Connections between adjacent display elements may provide
mechanical strength and/or rigidity, may provide for the transfer
of thermal energy for heating or cooling, e.g., to provide a
desired thermal environment, or may be electrical or optical
connections that permit the transfer of information, control or
power signals between display elements.
In some embodiments, receptor locations may not be recessed areas.
Receptor locations may be regions on a substrate surface having a
particular surface characteristic or property. Association of
display elements may be based upon surface interaction rather than
upon matching of size or shape characteristics. In other
embodiments, matching of display elements to receptor locations may
be based upon a combination of size, shape and surface
characteristics or properties. For example, the interior of a
recessed receptor location may include a coating which confers
surface characteristics on the receptor location that enhance
assembly of a specific display element at or onto the receptor
location. The display element may have combined size, shape and
surface characteristics complementary to the size, shape and
surface characteristics of the corresponding receptor location.
In some embodiments, display elements may be held in fixed spatial
relationship with respect to the substrate by one or more
connections between the display elements and substrate. Connections
between the display elements and the substrate may provide
structural or mechanical stability or rigidity. They may also
provide electrical, optical, acoustic, magnetic or other
connections that provide for the transfer of data, power, or
control signals. Connections between display elements and substrate
may conduct thermal energy, thus providing a heat sink, cooling, or
heating, e.g., in order to provide a desired thermal environment.
Control and power signals may be transmitted to display elements by
various means, including wireless transmissions, and assembly of
display elements into arrays may be a separate process from the
formation of control links to display elements. In some cases,
direct physical connections between display elements may not be
required to provide for the transmittal of power or control/data
signals, and may only provide mechanical support and/or spatial
positioning and/or orientation.
Connections between display elements and the substrate may be rigid
or flexible. In some embodiments, mechanical connections may
provide strength and structural integrity to the assembled array as
a whole. Display element arrays for use in television screens or
computer monitors may be formed on rigid and substantially planar
substrates. However, in some applications of display element
arrays, it may be desirable for display element arrays to be formed
on flexible substrates. Display element arrays formed on non-planar
rigid or semi-rigid substrates may be used in some embodiments.
In some cases, the interaction between display elements and
substrate used to produce self-assembly of display elements may be
sufficiently strong that display elements will be joined securely
to the substrate without any further connection being provided
between the display elements and substrate. In many cases, however,
the association of display elements may not provide sufficiently
secure connection of the display elements for the intended
application. In such cases, display elements and substrate may be
connected together by various methods. Mechanical connections may
be formed through the use of various adhesives, including
self-fusing adhesives, similar to or including self-fusing silicone
adhesives, an example of which is 3M.RTM. Scotch.TM. Self-Fusing
Silicone Rubber Electrical Tape. They may also be formed by causing
the material of the display elements and substrate to fuse or
adhere together, e.g. by electrostatic or magnetostatic attraction
means. Such fusing or adhesion could be produced by applying heat,
light or other radiation (e.g., to produce a photochemical
reaction), chemical treatment, pressure (for example, either steady
or intermittent pressure, or ultrasonic pulses) to form connections
between display elements. Such connections may be based on melting
or sintering of display element materials, chemical bonding, cross
linking, and various other processes, as known to those of skill in
the relevant arts, exemplified by Gracius et al., Science, Vol.
280, pp. 1170-1172, Aug. 18, 2000. and Zheng et al.; Proc. Natl.
Acad. Sci., Vol. 101, No. 35, pp. 12814-12817, Aug. 31, 2004, both
of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In some embodiments, display elements may be held in fixed spatial
relationship with respect to other display elements by direct
connections between adjacent display elements, in addition to or
instead of by connection of display elements to a substrate.
Connections between display elements may provide structural or
mechanical stability or rigidity. They may also provide electrical,
optical, or other connections that provide for the transfer of
data, power, or control signals between display elements and other
display elements and/or a substrate. Connections between display
elements may conduct thermal energy, thus providing a heat sink,
cooling, or heating. Mechanical connections between adjacent
display elements and between display elements and substrate may be
formed by adhesives of various types, depending on the material(s)
used in the display elements. Mechanical connections may also be
formed by causing the material of the display elements themselves
to bond or adhere together. Such bonding or adhesion could be
produced by applying heat, chemical treatment, pressure (for
example, either steady or intermittent pressure, or ultrasonic
pulses) to form connections between display elements. Such
connections may be based on melting or sintering of display element
materials, chemical bonding, cross linking, and various other
processes, as known to those of skill in the relevant arts.
Electrical, magnetic, acoustic or optical connections may require
the alignment of contact regions (which may occur simultaneously
with self-organization of display elements to receptor locations)
and formation of an electrical or optical connection, by suitable
processes as listed above or other processes known to those of
skill in the relevant arts. Electrical connections may permit the
transmittal of control, data, and/or power signals. In some
embodiments, connections between display elements may include one
or more optical, magnetic, or acoustic connections between display
elements for the transmittal of control or data signals. Mechanical
connections between display elements may be formed by adhesives of
various types, depending on the material(s) used in the display
elements. Electrical or optical connections may require the
alignment of contact regions (which may occur simultaneously with
self-organization of display elements) and formation of an
electrical or optical connection, by suitable processes as listed
above or other processes as will be known to those of skill in the
relevant arts, such as conductive epoxies, mating metal surfaces or
solder reflow.
According to certain embodiments, securing display elements
distributed to receptor locations on a substrate in fixed
relationship with respect to each other may be achieved by securing
the display elements with respect to the substrate. In some
embodiments, display elements distributed to receptor locations on
the substrate may be secured in fixed relationship with respect to
each other by securing each display element with respect to at
least one other display element. In some embodiments, connections
may be established for delivering control signals to drive emission
of light by the secured display elements by forming a contact
between each secured display element and electronic circuitry on
the substrate. Connections for delivering control signals to drive
emission of light by the secured display elements may be
established by forming a wireless link between each secured display
element and a remote driver. A wireless link may be established,
for example, by sending an activation signal keyed to a unique
identifier for each secured display element, with the unique
identifier being associated with a location of the secured display
element. Alternatively, a wireless link may be established by
sending an activation signal keyed to a specific location for each
secured display element. The method may include providing a control
signal to each secured display element to test the function of the
secured display element.
Connecting display elements to the substrate may include applying
heat or light to the display elements, the substrate, or a binder
contacting the display elements, applying pressure to the display
elements, or chemically, radiantly or electromagnetically treating
the display elements.
FIG. 15 illustrates several display elements 300, 302, and 304
attached to a respective receptor site 306, 308, and 310 on
substrate 312. In this exemplary embodiment, receptor sites 306,
308, and 310 are regions on surface 313 of substrate 312, having
respective distinct surface characteristics. Display element 300
includes a surface region 314 that is complementary to region 306
on surface 313, display element 302 includes a surface region 316
that is complementary to region 308 on surface 313, and display
element 304 includes a surface region 318 that is complementary to
region 310 on surface 313. Regions 306,308, and 310 and
complementary surface regions 314, 316, and 318, are depicted in
schematic form in FIG. 15, not intended to illustrate any specific
surface properties, but merely to indicate different complementary
surface properties. Complementary surface properties may include,
but are not limited to, one or more of surface electric charge,
surface energy, magnetic properties, binding affinity of organic
molecules and specifically biomolecules (e.g., complementary
nucleic acid sequences, protein, glycoprotein, amino acid or
saccharide interactions, antibody-antigen interactions, etc.).
FIGS. 16-18 illustrate several exemplary display elements. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 16, display element 350 includes
light-emitting element 352 and carrier 354. Carrier 354 may include
recess 356 into which the light-emitting element 352 is placed
subsequent to manufacture of the light-emitting element and the
carrier, as shown in FIG. 16. In this embodiment, display elements
350 include electronic circuitry 358. Power and control signals may
be delivered to display element 350 from a substrate on which it is
mounted, via contacts 364 and 366. As depicted in FIG. 16,
light-emitting element 352 may be formed separately from carrier
354. Light-emitting element 352 fits into recess 356 in carrier
354, where contacts 360 on light-emitting element 352 and contacts
362 in recess 356 form a connection by which signals used to
activate light-emitting element 352 to produce light can be
delivered. Light-emitting element 352 and carrier 354 may be
produced by standard fabrication techniques including, for example,
injection molding of a plastic body around a semiconductor-based
light-emitting element.
FIG. 17 depicts an alternative embodiment of a display element 400
in which light-emitting element 402 is formed integrally with
carrier 404. Carrier 404 may be a silicon structure in which
semiconductor-based electronic circuitry has been formed.
Light-emitting element 402 may be, for example, a light-emitting
diode or laser diode, either of which can be formed in an
integrated semiconductor device. Contacts 406 may provide for the
transmission of power and/or control signals between display
element 400 and a substrate or adjacent display element. In the
embodiments of FIG. 17, the light-emitting element is formed
integrally with the carrier and no clear distinction can be made
between display element, light-emitting element, and carrier, the
carrier feature of the display element residing in the surface
characteristic of the external portion. The body-forming material
may itself include light-emitting properties. For example, all or a
portion of the body may be formed from a light-emitting material
such as that used in organic LEDs.
In another embodiment, depicted in FIG. 18, a display element 450
may include light-emitting element 452 and carrier 454. Carrier 454
may take the form of a coating applied to the exterior of
light-emitting element 452. Carrier 454 may be applied to
light-emitting element 452, for example by dipping the
light-emitting element 452 into a material that will form carrier
454, by spraying a material that will form carrier 454 onto the
light-emitting element, or by other methods known in the art.
Carrier 454 may include or be formed of one or more materials with
a surface property 456 that promotes self-organization of display
element 450 with other display elements.
In certain embodiments, a display element may include multiple
light-emitting elements. In the example of FIG. 19, a display
element 500 includes two light-emitting (or -modulating elements)
502 and 504, contained within carrier 506. Light-emitting elements
502 and 504 may emit light of the same general color which,
however, differs in terms of waveband or other characteristics. For
example, light-emitting element 502 may emit broad-waveband red
light, while light-emitting element 504 may emit red light in a
narrow waveband. Alternatively, light-emitting elements 502 and 504
may be identical light-emitting elements that are included in
duplicate to provide redundancy, so that if one light-emitting
element fails, the other may serve as a backup. In another
alternative, light-emitting elements 502 and 504 may be two
identical light-emitting elements such that display element 500 may
emit light in a broader range of light intensities than if it
included only a single light-emitting element. In still another
embodiment, light-emitting elements 502 and 504 may emit light in
bands having different central peaks. This may allow greater
spectral coverage, or use of less expensive components while still
providing light in a usable range. Display element 500 may also
include shape, size, or surface characteristics 508 that facilitate
self-assembly of display element 500 to a receptor location.
In a further embodiment depicted in FIG. 20, display element 550 is
made of two or more (in this example, three) sub-elements 552, 554,
and 556 that are assembled together prior to assembly of display
element 550 to substrate 558. Assembly of display sub-elements 552,
554, and 556 to form display element 550 may be via a self-assembly
process or by various other processes, as are known to those of
skill in the relevant arts. Sub-elements 552, 554, 556 may include
light-emitting elements 560, 562, and 564, respectively, which may
be of the same or different types. In one useful combination, for
example, light-emitting element 560 may emit light in a red
wavelength band, light-emitting element 562 may emit light in a
green wavelength band, and light-emitting element 564 may emit
light in a blue wavelength band. Other combinations of multiple
light-emitting elements may be used to provide redundancy, greater
range of intensities, enhanced spectral content, and so forth. Each
display sub-element 552, 554, and 556 may include a respective
shape, size or surface characteristic 566, 568, 570 that causes
display element 550 to distribute to a receptor location 574 on
substrate 558. Receptor location 574 may include a shape, size or
surface characteristic complementary to the combined shape, size or
surface characteristics 566, 568, and 570.
Various of the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein (e.g., in
FIGS. 1 and 4-10) include display elements arranged in regular,
rectilinear N.times.N or M.times.N arrays. However, as used herein,
the term "display element array" applies not only to regular,
rectilinear arrays, but also to arrays formed from various other
arrangements of display elements, including arrangements of display
elements that are non-uniform with respect to various parameters,
including, but not limited to spacing, orientation, size, and type
of display elements. Display element arrays may include two or more
distinct regions, configured so that within each region the display
element array is regular and uniform, but between regions and
across the display element array as a whole, there is a
non-uniform, irregular distribution of display elements. Display
element arrays may also include arrangements of display elements
that are non-uniform overall. Non-uniform distributions may include
gradients with respect to display element size, color, etc., for
example, running from one side of a display element array to
another, or from the center of a display element array to the
edges. Non-uniform display element arrays may be non-uniform but
have a statistical distribution of display elements over some or
all of the array. In certain embodiments, the spatial distribution
of display elements over an array may be random or
quasi-random.
FIG. 21 illustrates an embodiment of a display element array 600 in
which receptor locations of three different types 604, 606 and 608
are distributed over substrate 602 in random or substantially
random pattern. The distribution of receptor locations may be
well-characterized by various statistical measures. For example,
the distance between receptor locations of a particular type (e.g.,
the distance between two receptor locations 604) may follow a
normal distribution with a known mean and standard deviation. In
other embodiments, receptor locations (and hence display elements
in the assembled display element array) may have various
distributions, and are not limited to any particular
distribution.
Display elements may be responsive to one or more control signals.
Control signals may include electrical signals transmitted via
electronic circuitry, electromagnetic signals transmitted to
display elements via a transmitter and received by a receiver (or
transceiver), optical signals delivered via optical circuitry or
electromagnetic signal, acoustic signals delivered via various
paths, etc. A control signal may produce emission of light by a
light-emitting element directly (e.g., in the case of an electron
beam, UV beam, or other energy impinging on a phosphor to cause
emission of light) or a control signal may be processed by
electronic or optical circuitry on the light-emitting element to
control light emission indirectly, in which case the control signal
may initiate, stop, or otherwise modulate the emission of light by
light-emitting elements.
A variety of approaches to selectively activating individual
elements, or groups of elements may be implemented. In a
straightforward N.times.N or M.times.N array of elements,
conventional row and column addressing, such as that found in many
matrix array structures, such as LCDs, may be appropriate. The
control electronics and tradeoffs for such addressing and selective
activation are known to those of skill in the art.
The display may include electronic circuitry configured for
carrying electrical control signals to selected receptor locations
on the substrate to control display elements at the selected
receptor locations. The display may also include optical circuitry
configured for carrying optical control signals to one or more
selected receptor locations on the substrate to control display
elements and the selected receptor locations. In some embodiments,
the display may also comprise an electromagnetic radiation source
or charged particle beam projector, wherein each display element of
the plurality of display elements is selectively activatable by
directing the radiation source or charged particle beam projector
toward the display element to activate the display element. The
"radiation source" or charged particle beam projector may include
an electron gun or an ultraviolet or infrared radiation source.
Display elements may be selectively activatable by electromagnetic
energy directed onto the selected display elements at selected
locations on the display. Control signals may include
electromagnetic energy, e.g., ultraviolet radiation or an electron
beam, an electrical signal, an optical signal, an acoustic signal,
or various other control signals, as known to those of skill in the
relevant art.
In some embodiments, a method of controlling a multi-element
display may include transmitting a control signal including an
element selection component and an activation signal component to a
plurality of display elements of a multi-element display. Each
display element may have a unique identifier associated with it.
The element selection component may include information identifying
at least one selected display element to be controlled by the
control signal. The activation signal component may specify a
desired operation of the selected display element(s). The control
signal may be receivable by all display elements of the plurality
of display elements, but capable of producing activation of only
the selected display element to produce the desired operation. The
identifying information may be an identification code that uniquely
identifies the display element. Alternatively, the identifying
information may be an address specifying the location of the
selected display element in the display. In some embodiments, the
control signal may be a wireless control signal sent to the display
from a remote location.
Connecting groups of associated display elements or individual
display elements to a substrate or to each other may include
forming connections for transmitting data or power. Such
connections may include electrical, magnetic, optical or acoustic
connections. As an alternative to direct physical (mechanical,
electrical, or optical) connections, power, data, or control
signals may be transmitted to display elements via remote or
wireless connections, or by other means as described previously.
Display elements may include transmitters, receivers, or
transmitter-receiver (transceiver) combinations for sending and/or
receiving RF or other signals. Power may be transmitted to display
elements by various methods, including inductive coupling or power
beaming, as well as via direct electrical connections.
As discussed above, if the substrate includes both power and
address lines, then activating selected display elements in the
assembled display element array to produce a desired pattern may be
performed in a straightforward manner, using addressing schemes as
are well known to those of skill in the relevant arts. In other
embodiments, the substrate may provide power, but not control
signals, to the display elements. Delivery of control signals to
provide selective activation of the display elements may be
achieved by other means. An exemplary embodiment is depicted in
FIG. 22, and corresponding method is shown in FIG. 23, in which
selective control of display elements relies upon the performance
of a preliminary configuration process.
FIG. 22 illustrates a set-up for testing and configuring a display
element array 650, which includes substrate 652 and at least two
display elements 654 and 656 distributed to receptor sites 658 and
660 in substrate 652. Display element 654 includes an
identification tag 670 and logic 674, and display element 656
includes identification tag 672 and logic 676. In the present
example, identification tags 670 and 672 are distinguishable from
each other and may be uniquely identifiable relative to other
display elements in the array 650. In this example, identification
tags 670 and 672 may be passive RFID tags responsive to selected
patterns of RF radiation. In other embodiments, the identification
tags may be active RFID tags, or other devices or structures
capable of storing an identification number, code, or other
identification information that identifies each display
element.
Substrate 652 includes power connections 678, which supply power to
display elements 654 and 656. Logic circuitry 674 in display
element 654 is configured to activate display element 654 to
produce light responsive to an input signal, such as that from an
RF transmitter, that matches unique identification tag 670. The
identification information relating to each of the display elements
may be determined a priori, or may be gathered by systematically
interrogating the array 650.
In one approach, under control of microprocessor 684, transmitter
680 generates a series of RF signals coded to various different
identifiers. If logic circuitry 674 in the identification tag 670
determines that one of the RF signals matches the identification
information in the identification tag 670, the logic circuitry 674
activates the display element 654. Detector 682 detects activation
of display element 654 and the identification information
corresponding to the identification tag 670 is then stored in
memory 684 of microprocessor based device 686. As the process is
repeated for each of the RF signals in the sequence, the data in
the memory 684 eventually forms a mapping of the identification
tags 672 and others relative to their respective identification
information. In the future, when activation of a selected display
element, e.g., display element 654, is desired, circuitry that
drives the resulting display can selectively activate elements by
retrieving the corresponding identification information from the
memory 684 and transmitting to the selected display element, e.g.,
element 672, the corresponding RF signal.
Note that, although the process above is described in connection
with an exemplary embodiment employing RFID structures, other
identification structures may also be appropriate.
Electromagnetically responsive elements that are responsive to
electromagnetic radiation of various other frequencies, for
example, microwave and sub-RF frequencies, may be used as
identification structures or tags. Electromagnetically responsive
elements for use as identification structure are not limited those
that are responsive to any particular frequency range. In other
embodiments, each display element may include an optically
responsive structure that responds selectively to its respective
identification information. In still another approach, each of the
display elements may include indicators that are machine-readable
or otherwise readily determinable. With use of machine vision or
other readily implemented approaches, the relative locations of the
display elements may be determined.
FIG. 23 depicts the steps of a process for forming a self-assembled
array and establishing the location of specific display elements
within the self-assembled array, as described in connection with
FIG. 22. This process may be used in systems in which display
elements have individual identifiers (e.g., identification codes or
numbers) and are controlled by wireless control signals, though
modifications of the approach may be applied in systems using other
types of connections. The location of specific display elements
must be determined after the display elements have self-assembled
into their respective receptor locations in the array. At step 702,
display elements 1 through N are allowed to self-assemble into
their corresponding receptor locations. At step 704, display
elements 1 through N are secured in fixed relationship to their
receptor locations. Subsequent steps are carried out for display
elements 1 to N, as controlled at step 706, or by an equivalent
control loop. At step 708, a wireless control signal containing the
instruction "Activate display element n" is sent to all display
elements, to produce activation of element n. At step 710, the
location of activated display element n, designated by loc(n), is
detected. At step 712, loc(n) is stored in the memory of a
controller, along with the identifier n. Process control returns to
step 706, and steps 708 through 712 are repeated for all values of
n between 1. and N. When steps 708 through 712 have been repeated
for all values of n, training or configuration of the system is
complete, and use of the system may commence as represented by step
714. At step 714, a display element at a desired location loc(n) is
activated by sending a wireless control signal containing the
instruction "Activate display element n." Suitable wireless control
signals may be sent out for as long as desired to activate one or
more display elements at a time in a desired pattern.
FIG. 24 illustrates a further embodiment of an assembled display
element array, in which display elements 800 and 802 are assembled
into receptor locations 804 and 806 in substrate 808. Display
elements 800 and 802 are only two of a larger number of display
elements located in substrate 808 but not shown in FIG. 24. In this
embodiment, substrate 808 provides mechanical support, but may not
contain control or power transmission lines. Display element 800
includes transceiver 810, microprocessor 812, identifier 814, and
memory 816. Similarly, display element 802 includes transceiver
818, microprocessor 820, identifier 822, and memory 824. Following
self-assembly of display elements 800 and 802 into substrate 808,
display elements may transmit identification signals with their
respective transceivers 810 or 818 to other display elements, and
receive identification signals sent from other display elements.
Based upon signal strength, latency, or other distance-dependent
variables, the relative position of each display element with
respect to other display elements, and hence with respect to the
display element array as a whole, may be determined by code run by
microprocessor 812 or 820. Location information may be stored in a
memory 816 or 824, respectively on display elements 800 and 802. A
display control signal containing a location-based element
selection component and an activation signal component may be
transmitted by a transmitter 830 and received by transceiver 810
and 818. If the element selection component matches the location
information stored in the memory of a particular display element,
activation of the display element is then controlled in accordance
with the activation signal component. The display control methods
described in connection with FIGS. 22-24 are merely exemplary, and
various other methods known to those of skill in the art of
controlling self-assembled display element arrays may be developed
and used in connection with display element arrays as disclosed
herein.
Self-organizing and/or self-assembling display element arrays as
disclosed herein may find application in a wide variety of devices
and systems. For example, FIG. 25 depicts application of a
self-assembling display element array 1000 in computer monitor
1002. As another example, FIG. 26 depicts application of a
self-assembling display element array 1010 in a television screen
1012. It is increasingly the case that there is little distinction
between television screens and computers monitors, as televisions
include more interactive capabilities, and television screens
include capabilities for displaying images in multiple windows,
displaying menu options, and so forth.
FIG. 27 illustrates the use of self-assembled display element
arrays on a sign 1020. The example presented in FIG. 27 includes a
static display portion 1022 that may be configured to display a
static image 1024 (in this case, the text "Coffee Shop &
Billiards"), while dynamic display portion 1026 may be configured
to display a message or image 1028 that may be changed at
intervals. If desired, the dynamic display portion may display a
continuously changing message or image (e.g., scrolling text or
animated image). Static display portion 1022 and dynamic display
portion 1026 may differ with regard to type and distribution of
display elements, or with regard to the control signals used to
control the display elements. Signs (and related displays, such as
labels, advertisements, billboard, etc., which may also incorporate
embodiments of the present invention) may be entirely static,
entirely dynamic or mixed-modal, depending on their intended use.
Sign 1020 may include battery 1030 and control circuitry 1032
mounted in or on sign 1020 for driving operation of static display
portion 1022 and dynamic display portion 1024.
Self-assembled display element arrays may also be used on items of
apparel, or other decorative or functional items formed of flexible
fabric or material. As an example, FIG. 28 illustrates the use of a
self-assembled display element array on a baseball cap 1050.
Baseball cap 1050 includes panel 1052 containing display element
array 1054, which may be formed on a flexible substrate. Text,
images, or patterns, which may be either static or dynamic, may be
displayed on display element array 1054. In the example shown in
FIG. 28, display element array 1054 displays text 1056, reading "GO
TEAM!" Display element array 1054 may be powered by various
methods. As shown in FIG. 28, a small battery 1058 may be mounted
on cap 1050 in an inconspicuous location (e.g., in the interior of
cap 1050) and connected to display element array 1054 via lead
1064. Alternative power supplies may be used instead, e.g., a solar
cell. Controller 1060, which may be an ASIC- or a
microprocessor-based device, may be mounted on cap 1050 and
connected via one or more data-lines 1062 to display element array
1054 to drive operation of display element array 1054.
FIG. 29 illustrates the use of a self-assembled display element
assembly on a decorative item having a non-planar substrate: in
this example, a vase 1200 bearing a panel 1202 displaying the
message "Get Well Soon!". The message "Get Well Soon!" may
alternate with one or more other messages or images, may scroll
across the panel, may flash, or may produce various other visual
effects. Such variations of displays may be applied to any other
embodiments in which a dynamic display element array is used,
including but not limited to the examples presented herein. Vase
1200 may incorporate a battery or other power supply and control
circuitry, as discussed in connection with the baseball cap
embodiment depicted in FIG. 28.
Self-assembling display element arrays may be used in virtually any
setting in which it is desired to graphically display static or
dynamic text, images, or patterns on a surface. As discussed
previously, dynamic displays may be varied at intervals (for
example, dynamic display portion 1026 in FIG. 27 may be changed
from "Closed--Come back Soon" to "Open--Come on In"), or may be
varied continuously to display scrolling or flashing text, animated
graphic, or various other dynamic displays as may be devised by
those of skill in the relevant arts. Display elements may be of a
wide range of sizes, and display element arrays or displays formed
from such display elements may be of a wide range of sizes and
resolutions, depending on intended application and construction
method and materials. Text, images, and patterns formed through the
use of such displays may be informative, decorative, or functional.
Such displays may be used in or on a wide variety of decorative
and/or functional items, to convey information or to change the
appearance of an item in a functional manner (e.g., camouflage or
visual signature-reduction on a vehicle or item of clothing), or to
present a desired decorative appearance on various items (objects,
items of apparel, etc., signs, labels, artwork.)
FIGS. 30A-30D illustrate the manufacture of a display having
several regions containing self-assembled display element arrays of
different types. In the example depicted in FIGS. 30A-30D, display
1300 includes a first display region 1302 on substrate 1301, which
defines a face portion of a "smiley face". First display region
1302 may include a first type of receptor locations. Two eye
portions 1306 and mouth portion 1308 may include a second type of
receptor locations. Background region 1314, which forms a
background to the smiley face, includes a third type of receptor
locations. In FIG. 30B, a mixture of display elements 1318 is
disposed on substrate 1301 from dispenser 1330. Mixture 1318
includes first, second and third display element types, 1320, 1322,
and 1324, respectively, which are depicted in enlarged view in FIG.
30C. Mixture 1318 includes first, second and third display element
types, 1320, 1322, and 1324, in quantities sufficient to fill
respective receptor locations in first display region 1302, eye
portions 1306, mouth portion 1308, and background region 1314.
First display element type 1320, second display element types 1322,
and third display element types 1324 may differ from each other in
one or more characteristics. Following loading of display elements
onto substrate 1301, the system may be agitated to cause the
display elements to self-organize into their respective receptor
locations. FIG. 30D illustrates display 1300 following assembly of
display elements 1320 into their respective receptor locations in
first display region 1302, display elements 1322 into their
respective receptor locations in eye portions 1306 and mouth
portion 1308, and display elements 1324 into their respective
receptor locations in background region 1314.
Each display region may include receptor locations for a single
type of display element, as depicted in FIGS. 30A-30D. For example,
the first display region 1302 may include receptor locations for
display elements of a first color (e.g., yellow), while the
background regions may include receptor locations for display
elements of a second color (e.g., blue). Alternatively, display
regions may include receptor locations for multiple types of
display elements, for example, the first display region 1302 may
include receptor locations for orange and yellow display elements,
while background region 1314 may include receptor locations for
green and blue display elements. As another alternative, different
regions of the display may include receptor locations for display
elements of the same types in different proportions, for example,
the first region may include one-third receptor locations for red
display elements, one-third receptor locations for blue display
elements, and one-third receptor locations for green display
elements, while a second display region may include one-half
receptor locations for red display elements, and one-quarter each
of receptor locations for blue display elements and green display
elements.
Display elements may differ by other characteristics than color,
e.g., size, power consumption, spectral waveband, etc., and may
differ by one or by multiple characteristics. The choice of display
elements used in each region may be based on the text, pattern, or
image that is to be displayed. If the display is intended to
display a fixed pattern (e.g., the smiley face depicted in FIGS.
30A-30D), the display element characteristics may be selected to be
suitable for the pattern. For example, the face portion of the
smiley face may be yellow, and the background blue. The eyes and
mouth portions may be black (in which case there may be no need to
provide display elements that emit light in these portions). In the
sign as depicted in FIG. 27, static display portion 1022 may
include a first mixture of display elements suitable for displaying
the intended static image or text, while the lower portion may
include a different assortment of display elements, e.g., larger
display elements in a single color, suitable for displaying the
intended basic text but insufficient for displaying an image or
more elaborate text.
FIG. 31 illustrates how display elements may be delivered to a
substrate surface at two or more locations, by the use of multiple
delivery devices. A first quantity of display elements 1450 is
delivered to first location 1452 on substrate 10 from first
delivery device 1454. A second quantity of display elements 1456 is
delivered to second location 1458 on substrate 10 from second
delivery device 1460. Substantially the same result could be
obtained by using a single delivery device and moving the delivery
device (which may be, for example, a nozzle, spout, inkjet,
pressure jet, sprayer, etc.) with respect to the substrate, or
moving the substrate with respect to the delivery device. By
delivering different display elements (i.e., different types of
display elements or mixtures of the same types of display elements
in different proportions) at different locations, a spatially
non-uniform distribution of display elements on the substrate may
be obtained.
FIG. 32A and 32B illustrate a method of forming a non-uniform
distribution of display elements on a substrate. In FIG. 32A, a
first quantity of display elements 1400 (which may include a first
mixture of display elements) is disposed onto substrate 10 from
dispenser 1402 during a first time interval t.sub.1. First quantity
of display elements 1400 may have physical characteristics (size,
shape, surface properties, density, etc.) that cause first quantity
of display elements 1400 to spread out onto substrate 10 or may be
in a mixture (e.g., with a liquid, gas or solid) that confers
suitable spreading properties to first quantity of display elements
1400. In FIG. 32B, a second quantity (type or mixture) of display
elements 1404 is disposed onto substrate 10 from dispenser 1402
during a second time interval t.sub.2. Second quantity of display
elements 1404 spreads out onto substrate 10, causing further
outward spreading of first quantity of display elements 1400. The
approach illustrated in FIGS. 32A and 32B exemplifies how a
spatially non-uniform distribution of display elements on a
substrate may be obtained by distributing different types or
mixtures of display elements to the same location of a substrate at
different times.
FIGS. 33A-33C illustrate a method of replacing defective or
non-functional display elements. Display elements may be considered
defective if they are partially or fully non-functional, functional
but not connected properly, not positioned properly, or of the
wrong type for the position in the array. The method may apply to
single display elements or groups of display elements. The method
may be used during the initial manufacture of the display element
array, in connection with testing or troubleshooting, or may be
adjusted for use post-manufacture, e.g., in the repair of damaged
or worn out display element arrays. FIG. 33A illustrates display
element array 1500, made up of two different types of display
elements 1502 and 1504, assembled into receptor locations 1506 and
1508, respectively, on substrate 1510. Shaded display element 1512,
assembled into receptor location 1514, is a defective display
element of the same type as display elements 1504.
Non-functional display elements in a display may be detected by
various methods, during and/or subsequent to the manufacture of the
display. For example, a CCD camera may be used to detect activation
of display elements. Display elements may be activated in a
specified pattern; differences between the detected and expected
pattern may indicate non-functional display elements. Activation of
display elements may occur sequentially, simultaneously, or in any
other pattern that is convenient for the particular display being
tested. Different elements may be differentiated by time sequential
activation and detection, color specific activation and detection,
and so forth. Alternatively, activation of display elements may be
determined by any signal that correlates with display element
activation. For example, electrical correlates such as voltage drop
or current may be measured as a means of determining activation of
a display elements. Detection of electrical correlates may be
performed with circuitry built into the display susbtrate or by
separate test equipment.
FIG. 33B depicts display element array 1500 following removal of
defective display element 1512 from receptor location 1514, leaving
an empty receptor location 1514. Suitable methods for removing
display elements from an assembled array will depend on the size
and type of display elements, and will be known by those of skill
in the art. In the case of small display elements, a moistened
probe, for example, may be touched to the assembled array in the
region of interest, and display elements may adhere to the probe by
surface tension so they may be lifted from the assembled array. In
other embodiments, adhesives, suction, magnetic forces, and various
other forces may be used to lift a selected display element or
group of display elements from a substrate. In some embodiments,
defective display elements may be decoupled from their respective
receptor locations prior to removal, through the use of heating,
light, moisture, chemicals, electrical or magnetic fields, or
various other methods, which will depend on the manner in which the
display element(s) in question are held in place. In some
embodiments, removal of display elements from a substrate may be
possible only during initial manufacture steps, while in other
embodiments removal of display elements from a substrate may be
possible at various points after manufacture of the display.
Following removal of one of more defective display elements, empty
receptor locations may be filled by replacement display elements by
performing a procedure like that used initially to distribute
display elements to receptor locations, e.g., as depicted and
described in FIGS. 2-10. FIG. 33C illustrates display element array
1600 following a repair process. Receptor location 1514 in
substrate 1510 has been filled by replacement display element
1516.
FIG. 34 outlines the steps of a method as illustrated in FIGS.
33A-33C. At step 1602, a display that includes a substrate and a
plurality of display elements distributed to receptor locations on
the substrate is tested to detect at least one defective display
element. At step 1604, the defective display element is removed
from a receptor location in the display substrate, to leave at
least one vacant receptor location. At step 1606, a plurality of
display elements are disposed on the substrate. Each display
element may have shape, size, or surface characteristics
complementary to the shape, size, or surface characteristics of at
least one vacant receptor location. At step 1608, relative movement
is induced between the display elements and the substrate
sufficient to cause at least one display element to self assemble
into the at least one vacant receptor location. Depending on the
particular embodiment, following the self assembly process of step
1608, display elements may be secured sufficiently strongly to the
substrate, or, in some embodiment, a further attachment step may be
used to secure one or more display element in place at respective
receptor locations.
With regard to the hardware and/or software used in the control of
displays according to the present image, and particularly to the
control of light generation by display elements within such
displays, those having skill in the art will recognize that the
state of the art has progressed to the point where there is little
distinction left between hardware and software implementations of
aspects of such systems; the use of hardware or software is
generally (but not always, in that in certain contexts the choice
between hardware and software can become significant) a design
choice representing cost vs. efficiency or implementation
convenience tradeoffs. Those having skill in the art will
appreciate that there are various vehicles by which processes
and/or systems described herein can be effected (e.g., hardware,
software, and/or firmware), and that the preferred vehicle will
vary with the context in which the processes are deployed. For
example, if an implementer determines that speed and accuracy are
paramount, the implementer may opt for a hardware and/or firmware
vehicle; alternatively, if flexibility is paramount, the
implementer may opt for a solely software implementation; or, yet
again alternatively, the implementer may opt for some combination
of hardware, software, and/or firmware. Hence, there are several
possible vehicles by which the processes described herein may be
effected, none of which is inherently superior to the other in that
any vehicle to be utilized is a choice dependent upon the context
in which the vehicle will be deployed and the specific concerns
(e.g., speed, flexibility, or predictability) of the implementer,
any of which may vary. Those skilled in the art will recognize that
optical aspects of implementations will require optically-oriented
hardware, software, and or firmware.
The foregoing detailed description has set forth various
embodiments of the devices and/or processes via the use of block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples. Insofar as such block
diagrams, flowcharts, and/or examples contain one or more functions
and/or operations, it will be implicitly understood by those with
skill in the art that each function and/or operation within such
block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented,
individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware,
software, firmware, or virtually any combination thereof. In one
embodiment, several portions of the subject matter described herein
may be implemented via Application Specific Integrated Circuits
(ASICs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), digital signal
processors (DSPs), or other integrated formats. However, those
skilled in the art will recognize that some aspects of the
embodiments disclosed herein, in whole or in part, can be
equivalently implemented in standard integrated circuits, as one or
more computer programs running on one or more computers (e.g., as
one or more programs running on one or more computer systems), as
one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., as
one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as
firmware, or as virtually any combination thereof, and that
designing the circuitry and/or writing the code for the software
and/or firmware would be well within the capabilities of one of
skill in the art in light of this disclosure. In addition, those
skilled in the art will appreciate that certain mechanisms of the
subject matter described herein are capable of being distributed as
a program product in a variety of forms, and that an illustrative
embodiment of the subject matter described herein applies equally
regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media used to
actually carry out the distribution. Examples of a signal bearing
media include, but are not limited to, the following: recordable
type media such as floppy disks, hard disk drives, CD ROMs, digital
tape, and computer memory; and transmission type media such as
digital and analog communication links using TDM or IP based
communication links (e.g., links carrying packetized data).
In a general sense, those skilled in the art will recognize that
the various aspects described herein which can be implemented,
individually and/or collectively, by a wide range of hardware,
software, firmware, or any combination thereof can be viewed as
being composed of various types of "electrical circuitry."
Consequently, as used herein "electrical circuitry" includes, but
is not limited to, electrical circuitry having at least one
discrete electrical circuit, electrical circuitry having at least
one integrated circuit, electrical circuitry having at least one
application specific integrated circuit, electrical circuitry
forming a general-purpose computing device configured by a computer
program (e.g., a general-purpose computer configured by a computer
program which at least partially carries out processes and/or
devices described herein, or a microprocessor configured by a
computer program which at least partially carries out processes
and/or devices described herein), electrical circuitry forming a
memory device (e.g., forms of random access memory), and/or
electrical circuitry forming a communications device (e.g., a
modem, communications switch, or optical-electrical equipment).
Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common within
the art to describe devices for displaying or otherwise presenting
information in the fashion set forth herein, and thereafter use
standard engineering practices to integrate such described devices
and/or processes into displays or other light-emitting or
-modulating devices as exemplified herein. That is, at least a
portion of the devices and/or processes described herein can be
integrated into a display or other light-emitting or -modulating
device containing system via a reasonable amount of
experimentation.
Those having skill in the art will recognize that such systems
generally include one or more of a memory such as volatile and
non-volatile memory, processors such as microprocessors and digital
signal processors, computational-supporting or -associated entities
such as operating systems, user interfaces, drivers, sensors,
actuators, applications programs, one or more interaction devices,
such as data ports, control systems including feedback loops and
control implementing actuators (e.g., devices for sensing position
and/or velocity and/or acceleration or time-rate-of-change thereof;
control motors or actuators for moving and/or adjusting components
and/or quantities). A typical display system may be implemented
utilizing any suitable available components, such as those
typically found in appropriate computing/communication systems
and/or light-emitting systems, combined with standard engineering
practices.
The foregoing-described aspects depict different components
contained within, or connected with, different other components. It
is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely
exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be
implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual
sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same
functionality is effectively "associated" such that the desired
functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein
combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as
"associated with" each other such that the desired functionality is
achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermediate components.
Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as
being "operably connected", or "operably coupled", to each other to
achieve the desired functionality.
While particular aspects of the present subject matter described
herein have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those
skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes
and modifications may be made without departing from this subject
matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the
appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such
changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope
of this subject matter described herein. Furthermore, it is to be
understood that the invention is defined by the appended claims. It
will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms
used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of
the appended claims) are generally intended as "open" terms (e.g.,
the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not
limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at
least," the term "includes" should be interpreted as "includes but
is not limited to," etc.). It will be further understood by those
within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim
recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited
in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent
is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following
appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases "at
least one" and "one or more" to introduce claim recitations.
However, the use of such phrases should NOT be construed to imply
that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite
articles "a" or "an" limits any particular claim containing such
introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such
recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory
phrases "one or more" or "at least one" and indefinite articles
such as "a" or "an" (e.g., "a" and/or "an" should typically be
interpreted to mean "at least one" and/or "one or more"); the same
holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim
recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an
introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in
the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be
interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare
recitation of "two recitations," without other modifiers, typically
means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations).
Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to "at
least one of A, B, and C, etc." is used, in general such a
construction is intended in the sense of one having skill in the
art would understand the convention (e.g., "a system having at
least one of A, B, and C" would include but not be limited to
systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A
and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together). In
those instances where a convention analogous to "at least one of A,
B, or C, etc." is used, in general such a construction is intended
in the sense of one having skill in the art would understand the
convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C"
would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B
alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C
together, and/or A, B, and C together).
Although the methods, devices, systems and approaches herein have
been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments,
other embodiments are possible. As illustrated by the foregoing
examples, various choices of display element and substrate
configuration may be within the scope of the invention. As has been
discussed, the choice of system configuration may depend on the
intended application of the system, the environment in which the
system is used, cost, personal preference or other factors. Display
design, manufacture, and control processes may be modified to take
into account choices of display element components and
configuration, and such modifications, as known to those of skill
in the arts of display design and construction, may fall within the
scope of the invention. Therefore, the full spirit or scope of the
invention is defined by the appended claims and is not to be
limited to the specific embodiments described herein.
* * * * *
References